Following up on my fascination with the Arkansas primary -- perhaps the reddest blue state in America -- I was pleased that Sen. Lincoln survived to fight another day. Her estimated 45 percent of the vote was not enough to win outright. But considering that the spoiler candidate in the race -- D.C. Morrison -- "ran to the ideological right of both [Lincoln] and Halter," she … [Read more...] about UPDATED Arkansas: Does Yesterday Matter?
Captains vs. Ships
"The Sky is Falling. The Sky is Falling." - I can imagine a bunch of Chicken Little's running around K Street and Capitol Hill last night after the dust settled from yesterday's primaries. There is one problem with the doom and gloom pundits who are announcing the death of the Democratic Party in May, it doesn't add up. What is going on? Are these election results a … [Read more...] about Captains vs. Ships
Those Quirky But Non-Trendy Primaries
Allow me to buck my pundit friends and say of all the major election races Tuesday, the one that caught my attention as most significant was the late John Murtha's seat in Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District won by the old warrior's former chief of staff. He is Democrat Mark Critz who campaigned on local issues, reminding voters of all the goodies in earmarks his … [Read more...] about Those Quirky But Non-Trendy Primaries
Arlen Specter Retires
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Another Political Family Values Scandal
There have been many valid complaints that there are too many stories of “family values” politicians caught in not-so-family-values situations. The blogosphere is once again filled with another such story today. In the interest of fairness and bipartisanship, this post will be short; it will not disclose the political affiliation of the latest accused, nor mention the … [Read more...] about Another Political Family Values Scandal
Why Are Whites Five Times Richer Than Blacks in the US?
That's the Guardian UK asking, spurred on by a new study from Brandeis University: White families typically have assets worth $100,000 (£69,000), up from $22,000 in the mid-1980s. African-American families' assets stand at just $5,000, up from around $2,000. A quarter of black families have no assets at all. The study monitored more than 2,000 families since 1984. "We … [Read more...] about Why Are Whites Five Times Richer Than Blacks in the US?
Mexican Leaders Dither as Gulf Oil Disaster Accelerates: Excelsior, Mexico
The United States isn't the only country confronting ecological and political crisis because of the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. According to this article by columnist Yuriria Sierra of Mexico's Excelsior newspaper, Mexico's government, along with every other oil-dependent nation, is: 'watching with arms crossed while the fauna, flora and ecosystems of the sea, which … [Read more...] about Mexican Leaders Dither as Gulf Oil Disaster Accelerates: Excelsior, Mexico
Sestak Wins
Well since I am not a network and have nothing to lose by doing it, I'm calling the Pennsylvania Senate primary for Joe Sestak. Sestak is at this point leading 53-47 and most of the big returns are in from Philadelphia. Even there Sestak is winning around 40% which is amazing for a big machine city. The rest of the state is largely going for Sestak. I feel sort of bad for … [Read more...] about Sestak Wins
Anti-Establishment Rand Paul Wins Kentucky Closed Republican Primary
Paul wins Ky. Sen. primary in test of tea party from ROGER ALFORD and BRUCE SCHREINER (AP) Rand Paul defeated Republican establishment favorite Trey Grayson in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, a closely watched race that was a test of the tea party movement's strength..... The Kentucky election was being watched around the country, especially after tea party activists … [Read more...] about Anti-Establishment Rand Paul Wins Kentucky Closed Republican Primary
Some Races Called
In Kentucky it looks like it will be Paul versus Conway, though the Democratic race is tight the networks have begun to call it for Conway. In Pennsylvania the Gubernatorial race will be between Republican Corbett versus Democrat Onorato. Toomey is the easy winner in GOP Senate primary and while it's still too close to call I think Specter is toast and it will be Toomey … [Read more...] about Some Races Called
Victory for Independents in Louisiana: Open primary bill wins Senate approval
Open primary bill wins Senate approval From KLFY (BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A plan to return the state to an "open primary" system for congressional elections is one step from final legislative passage, after getting approval from the state Senate... Good news for independent voters! For more news for independent voters, see The Hankster … [Read more...] about Victory for Independents in Louisiana: Open primary bill wins Senate approval
Things Looking Bad For Specter ?
One of the big contests tonight is, of course, the Pennsylvania primary between Democrat turned Republican turned Democrat Arlen Specter and Congressman Joe Sestak. At this point it's pretty much a tie with Specter leading narrowly (check out Politico.com for results on all races). Obviously the key here is WHERE the results are from. According to both Dailykos and 538.com … [Read more...] about Things Looking Bad For Specter ?
Concerned About Facebook Privacy? Check Out These Tools
Yesterday it felt to me like rabbits were at work and their progeny was Facebook privacy apps. Four crossed my screen within a space of hours: Privacy Check, ProfileWatch.org, ReclaimPrivacy.org and SaveFace. The first three are useful in helping identify the types of Facebook information that have made it to the public web, but they aren't helpful in the shades-of-gray … [Read more...] about Concerned About Facebook Privacy? Check Out These Tools
Souder Affair
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The Day the Mountain Blew Up
It was 30 years ago today. A huge ash cloud moved across the country over the following days, reminding anyone who cared to look up what had happened. Many considered it a disaster. People had died. Property was just plain gone. After all, a forest had been destroyed. Surely life would never get back to normal with the ecosystem blown up. Those experts were wrong; the … [Read more...] about The Day the Mountain Blew Up
Can Independent Voters Participate in Today’s Primaries in Arkansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania?
Today is primary day in some key states for independent voters: Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Arkansas. Lots of media including this one from Liz Halloran at NPR talking about the anti-incumbent mood. Pennsylvania primaries (thanks to FairVote for these definitions) are closed (winners in 2008 2343 Clinton, McCain in the primary; November: Obama), meaning that only registered … [Read more...] about Can Independent Voters Participate in Today’s Primaries in Arkansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania?
NEWSWEEK’s “Catcher in the Rye” Role
In his “Top of the Week” editorial a week ago, after a brief history of NEWSWEEK’s ownership and after unemotionally stating that “NEWSWEEK was going to be sold,” editor Jon Meacham turns melodramatic, even effusive: There is a place for NEWSWEEK in some form in a fragmented culture… The moment of focus may be fleeting, but there are fewer and fewer common denominators … [Read more...] about NEWSWEEK’s “Catcher in the Rye” Role
Hypocrisy Is Bipartisan
The blogosphere is all atwitter today with the latest joyful celebration of schadenfreude at the spectacle of a "family values" Republican caught with his pants down in a sex scandal. What would normally be protected as private sexual and moral issues is, when it involves a conservative Republican, considered fair game for public ridicule and derision. Ok, fair enough. … [Read more...] about Hypocrisy Is Bipartisan
By Almost Every Metric, Digg Likes Ron Paul Much More than his Son Rand
Does this mean Rand doesn't have as much online viral support as his father? During the Republican primaries in 2008, nary a day went by that candidate Ron Paul wasn't mentioned on the front page of Digg, sometimes several times in a single day. Diggers dug up on YouTube videos, favorable articles about the candidate, blog posts by Ron Paul fans, and "money bombs" intended … [Read more...] about By Almost Every Metric, Digg Likes Ron Paul Much More than his Son Rand
Health Care Reform Critics Were Right
During the bruising and often inflammatory political debate over health care, reform advocates frequently condemned critics as dishonest or at least hyperbolic in their predictions of what "government-controlled health care" would be like. Concerns about rationing were dismissed as products of elitism and clearly-rigged cost estimates from the CBO (which must use assumptions … [Read more...] about Health Care Reform Critics Were Right